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Last update - 13:34 16/10/2007
Ann Coulter's dream of a Jew-free America
By Bradley Burston
Tags: Coulter, cable news 

From time to time, particularly in the wake of schoolyard shootings, failing markets, failing wars, failing administrations and the like, Americans take pause to take stock, wondering what's at the bottom of the malaise that afflicts their beloved, chronically clueless nation.

What is it, really, that's wrong with America?

If we're taking nominations, I'd like to open the bidding with Ann Coulter.
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You may know her as the acerbic, not to say verbally abusive, syndicated columnist whose bare-knuckles conservative punditry raises hackles and ratings across the cable news spectrum.

This month, Coulter waded into the mess first made by Republican White House hopeful John McCain, when he referred to America as a nation founded on the principles of Christianity, indicating that he would prefer to see a fellow Christian in the White House.

Barely a week after McCain's comments, Coulter told an exasperated Jewish talk-show host that in her dreams, heaven - for that matter, America - is a place where everyone is Christian.

Where would the Jews have gone? She went on to explain that that Jews needed to convert to Christians in order to be "perfected," noting that Christians have a "fast track" to God.

Appearing on CNBC's The Big Idea, hosted by Donny Deutsch, Coulter was asked what America would look like if she had her way.

"It would look like New York City during the [2004] Republican National Convention," Coulter replied. "In fact, that's what I think heaven is going to look like."

Asked to expand on the theme, Coulter said "People were happy. They're Christian. They're tolerant. They defend America."

Deutsch, growing at once incredulous and offended, responded "So we should be Christian? It would be better if we were all Christian?" to which Coulter answered with a simple yes, later inviting Deutsch to attend church with her.

DEUTSCH: We should just throw Judaism away and we should all be Christians, then?

COULTER: Yeah.

DEUTSCH: Really?

COULTER: Well, it's a lot easier. It's kind of a fast track.
Deutsch then suggested similarities between Coulter's position and that of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

DEUTSCH: "Let's wipe Israel off the earth." I mean, what, no Jews?

COULTER: No, we think - we just want Jews to be perfected, as they say.

DEUTSCH: Wow, you didn't really say that, did you?

COULTER: Yes. That is what Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament, but ours is more like Federal Express. You have to obey laws.

A commercial break ensued, during which Coulter asked Deutsch for a chance to explain the comment about "perfecting" Jews. She adamantly turned aside all suggestions that the comment could be offensive to Jews, that it could be construed as hateful or anti-Semitic. "I don't think you should take it that way," she said. "But that is what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews."

Until recently, I failed to take Ann Coulter seriously. I was wrong.

I was wrong to write off as mere stand-up racism her advice after the September 11 attacks ["We should require passports to fly domestically. Passports can be forged, but they can also be checked with the home country in case of any suspicious-looking swarthy males."]

I was wrong to write off as scattershot shtick her comments against women's right to vote, her suggestion that John Edwards was a "faggot" who should have been assassinated by terrorists, her depiction of Islam as a religion whose whose tenets are "along the lines of 'kill everyone who doesn't smell bad and doesn't answer to the name Mohammed.'"

I was wrong to see her as some highly intelligent, well-educated, perversely gifted panderer to the lower common denominator. I was wrong to see her as some overqualified infotainment shock jock. I should have taken her seriously.

Ann Coulter is my enemy. Ann Coulter is the kind of patriotic, persuasive, powerful American who is precisely what is wrong with America.

I'll never underestimate her again. Ann Coulter has a plan for the Jews. She has one for Muslims as well. And it's her people who are exactly the kind of Americans who could find the way to try to carry it out.

Previous blogs:

Yes, Sen. McCain, America is Christian nation
In the end, bet on Israeli hawks to forge the peace
Let Ahmadinejad speak
Yom Kippur 2007: Jews who hate Reform Jews

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  1.   Ann Coulter`s dream 09:51  |  Smart Alec 14/10/07
  2.   Pathetic article 09:54  |  Nechama 14/10/07
  3.   Coulter 10:11  |  Naim S. Mahlab 14/10/07
  4.   #2: Yet I turn to Christian TV and all I here is Crusade in Iraq 10:14  |  Tupac 14/10/07
  5.   Christianity - lead by example 10:17  |  Palestinian Brit 14/10/07
  6.   Jewish Hypocrisy 10:24  |  Khalid 14/10/07
  7.   america 10:25  |  . 14/10/07
  8.   Shock and horror 10:30  |  Colin Wright 14/10/07
  9.   Palestinian brit 10:51  |  Israeli non-Jew 14/10/07
  10.   #2, Nechama - ALL Christians? 10:52  |  Anton 14/10/07
  11.   Ann, whatever you are, you are not a perfected Jew 10:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/10/07
  12.   Coulter and NYC 10:54  |  Jasmine Murphy 14/10/07
  13.   Bradley It`s Not Anti-Semitism 10:55  |  Yosemite 14/10/07
  14.   Why are Jews so easily baited? 10:56  |  Natallie Durson 14/10/07
  15.   ann of ccourse is ignorant or the origins of christianity 10:57  |  victor hardman 14/10/07
  16.   Wallowing in garbage 10:59  |  S 14/10/07
  17.   It isnt even controversial 11:07  |  Steve 14/10/07
  18.   ann coulter 11:10  |  kushelevitch 14/10/07
  19.   its not anti anything... just..... 11:22  |  ravi 14/10/07
  20.   cjk 11 11:22  |  realism 14/10/07
  21.   Bimbo Over-analysis 11:25  |  dyinglikeflies 14/10/07
  22.   Durson: are u off your rocker?? 11:31  |  Star of David 14/10/07
  23.   Perspective 11:33  |  Steve 14/10/07
  24.   Realism: one could define love as 11:35  |  Star of David 14/10/07
  25.   pal brit; r u simple minded or 11:41  |  Star of David 14/10/07
  26.   Palestinian Brit 11:42  |  Anthony 14/10/07
  27.   #20, your definition of love 11:48  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/10/07
  28.   I can`t believe it, but... 11:51  |  Simcha 14/10/07
  29.   WHAT She Said Surprised Jews? ...Why? 11:52  |  Proud Pal Defender 14/10/07
  30.   The TRUTH About If Christians Want All Jews To Be Christians. 11:55  |  Proud Pal Defender 14/10/07
  31.   Ann Coulters intolerance 12:07  |  Petra 14/10/07
  32.   #14, Durson 12:12  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/10/07
  33.   Perspective, PERSPECTIVE! 12:15  |  S 14/10/07
  34.   More stupidity from Burston - what a revelation! 12:32  |  Maya 14/10/07
  35.   Ann Coulter and Jews 12:34  |  Al Rothman 14/10/07
  36.   Al Rothman!!! 12:52  |  Steve 14/10/07
  37.   Bradley: JEWS` Failure, Choosing EXTREMISTS Over FAIR Moderates. 13:02  |  Proud Pal Defender 14/10/07
  38.   Oy vey!!! Bradley, Bradley, Bradley 13:03  |  Virginia 14/10/07
  39.   #15 Victor hardhead is really Paul Harris. 13:08  |  Labhras 14/10/07
  40.   Ann Coulter 13:09  |  Michael 14/10/07
  41.   Who do you think is coming to save you Al? 13:10  |  He has been here 14/10/07
  42.   Jewish lovers of Ann, please read up OK? 13:19  |  Maimon 14/10/07
  43.   Messiah Came? Did A Lousy Job. 13:21  |  dyinglikeflies 14/10/07
  44.   What is the fuss all about? 13:23  |  Real Me 14/10/07
  45.   Best of all Al, He IS here. Ever get the sense that Messiah blogs 13:28  |  I do 14/10/07
  46.   dyinglikeflies, you`re not living in the time before He came 13:38  |  Selah 14/10/07
  47.   #41 he has been here 13:43  |  Franco 14/10/07
  48.   Yes, God Himself IS the Messiah. There is no other salvation. 13:44  |  Selah 14/10/07
  49.   Basic christian belief 13:44  |  Yisrael 14/10/07
  50.   Western Christian teachings and relation to Anti-Semitism 13:45  |  Tess 14/10/07
  51.   Anne Coulter is a smart idiot 13:46  |  Ronnie Wolman 14/10/07
  52.   Ann Coulter, please read The 1 Corinthene 13 13:51  |  Hard Talk 14/10/07
  53.   Non-Jews that Love Jews do so because of God`s Love for them AND 13:53  |  Selah 14/10/07
  54.   Less Tolerance there is the Closer we´ll be to a World War! 13:54  |  Hard Talk 14/10/07
  55.   Freedom of Speech 14:03  |  Chris Linthwaite 14/10/07
  56.   Steve 14:04  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/10/07
  57.   This IS Christianity 14:09  |  The Northern Wind 14/10/07
  58.   Reply to Steve (Post No. 17) 14:14  |  Johnny Weintraub 14/10/07
  59.   To "I Do"- Messiah as Blogger 14:21  |  dyinglikeflies 14/10/07
  60.   The Northern Wind, NOT TRUE. 14:27  |  Selah 14/10/07
  61.   Ann Coulter obnoxious and racist to the core 14:29  |  Marlene N. 14/10/07
  62.   Dyinglikeflies, Satan is NOT a "supreme being" 14:34  |  I do 14/10/07
  63.   At least, let`s not be hypocritical 14:41  |  Marlene N. 14/10/07
  64.   #2 Nechama 14:41  |  Abdul 14/10/07
  65.   Oh come`on, let `em laugh, you know it was funny 14:43  |  HAHAHAHAHAHA 14/10/07
  66.   #62 I do 14:44  |  Chris Linthwaite 14/10/07
  67.   #4, Tupac 14:44  |  Hassan 14/10/07
  68.   PERFECTED Jews & Judeo-Christian/Ity...ARE MYTHS! 14:52  |  Proud Pal Defender 14/10/07
  69.   The Northern Wind, you are right 14:53  |  Mark B. 14/10/07
  70.   Chris, if it wishes to "worship" Satan as a surpreme being, I 14:53  |  I do